Scott Gottlieb is a lot of things. Public servant. Physician. Pundit. He is my former colleague at the FDA. Most importantly, he is my friend. And my blood boils with anger and frustration at today’s scurrilous attack on him in the Seattle Times (see below). Like the saying goes, everything you read in the newspaper is true — except for those things you know about personally. Scott I know personally. I know that he takes his work at the FDA seriously. I know that he takes his government oath to protect the public health seriously. I know that he is highly ethical and honest. And I know how much this article must hurt him personally. And, I’m sure, that is precisely why certain lupine elements are gleefully forwarding this ugly hit piece to their friends and colleagues. If people don’t agree with his policy positions they should dispute them, firmly, strongly, logically — and respectfully. That they have chosen character assassination only shows the weakness of their intellectual arguments — as well as their disappointing lack of character. For shame.